Where do baboons live?

Baboons are found in surprisingly varied habitats and are extremely adaptable. They generally prefer semiarid habitats, like savannas, but some live in tropical forests. The major requirements for any habitat seem to be water sources and safe sleeping places—either in tall trees or on cliff faces.

What are baboons?

Baboons are some of the world’s largest monkeys. There are five species of baboon—olive, yellow, chacma, Guinea, and hamadryas—scattered across various habitats in Africa and Arabia. The baboon, like other Old World monkeys, does not have a prehensile (gripping) tail, but it is still able to climb when necessary. All baboons have dog–like noses, powerful jaws, sharp canine teeth, and thick fur. The male baboon also has a ruff—a longer mane around its neck.

Behavior & Diet

The baboon is an opportunistic eater.

Baboons are opportunistic omnivores and selective feeders. Grass makes up a large part of their diet, along with berries, seeds, pods, blossoms, leaves, roots, bark, and sap from a variety of plants. They also eat insects and small quantities of meat, such as fish, shellfish, hares, birds, vervet monkeys, and small antelopes.

They like to hang out in groups.

Baboons sleep, travel, feed, and socialize in groups of about 50. These groups usually consist of seven or eight males and about twice as many females plus their young. The family unit of females and juveniles forms the core of the troop. Male baboons will leave their natal troops as they mature and move in and out of other troops.

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Challenges

The baboon’s major predators are humans.

Humans kill baboons for a variety of reasons. Baboons can be killed because of their tendency to be viewed as agricultural pests as well as for their skins—this is more common with the hamadryas baboon. Use of baboons in laboratories and medical research has also increased.

Baboons are losing their homes.

Habitat loss due to overgrazing, agricultural expansion, irrigation projects, and overall human settlement growth is a threat to baboons.

Solutions

Our solutions to protecting the baboon:

Engage communities.

African Wildlife Foundation works with communities to develop appropriate sustainable solutions—using technology, like the Geographic Information System (GIS) to identify threats and lead to more effective conservation plans—or agricultural and settlement growth by providing training on best practices and incentivizing conservation agriculture when appropriate.

Make the connection between conservation and education.

AWF works with rural communities living in close proximity to wildlife in order to build schools in exchange for practicing conservation. In Tanzania, we rebuilt Manyara Ranch Primary School and equipped it with a full technology lab and a conservation curriculum. By working with communities to provide tangible incentives for conservation and educating future generations in conservation principles, we are able to foster a culture of conservation.

Projects

Will you show baboons your support?

With your help, AWF can continue working on critical projects like creating sustainable agricultural solutions using technologies, such as GIS, and building conservation schools. Donate for a cause that will help with wildlife conservation and ensure the baboon does not become an endangered species.

Civil war has led to poverty and environmental degradation.

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The African lion is in critical danger, with some predicting extinction by 2020. This isn't just a tragedy to the species; it would also cause major ecological problems. Help us continue crucial efforts like reducing human-wildlife conflicts that threaten the lion.

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With loss of habitat and prey, carnivores—like cheetahs and wild dogs—are hunting community livestock. As a result, farmers are forced to kill these species. African Wildlife Foundation needs support training scouts and funding bomas to protect livestock as well as negotiating buffer zones for wildlife.

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Hippos are highly valued for their fatty meat and ivory tusks, putting them in the crosshairs of hunters and poachers. The Zambia Wildlife Authority and the Lower Zambezi Natural Park rely on African Wildlife Foundation's support to secure the park and protect hippos.

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To maintain its livestock business, the Ol Pejeta Conservancy relies on supplies and education we help provide. Earning just US$100,000 in the first 10 months, this conservation enterprise effort is helping to build the local economy.

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Conservation-minded individuals can work with AWF to designate their lands as protected spaces. These environmental easements help counter the decline of wildlife due to development and habitat fragmentation.

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Wildlife corridors allow migratory species, like the wildebeest and zebra, to roam safely. Without intervention, these free spaces are threatened by increasing development and agriculture.